Self medication among non medical students of Islamia University Bahawalpur

Background: Use of medicine by a patient on his own initiative or on advice of a pharmacist or a lay person instead of consulting a medical practitioner is known as self-medication. Internationally self medication has been reported as being on rise. Little has been reported on the extent of self medication practices in Pakistan

Objective: To determine prevalence and commonly used drugs in self medication among non medical students of university

Subjects and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Baghdad campus of Islamia University Bahawalpur, from 1[st] May, 2011 to 15[th] June, 2011. Predesigned questionnaire was filled by the investigators themselves

Results: The prevalence of self medication was found to be 71.2%. The most common factors which led to it were "previous experience with similar symptoms [58%]", "Pharmacist's advice [28%]" and "friend's advice [15%]"

Conclusion: Prevalence of self-medication is high even in educated youth, despite majority being aware of it to be harmful

Cigarette smoking survey of citizens of Mansehra

When a cigarette is smoked, about one-half of the smoke generated is side stream smoke. This form of smoke contains essentially all of the same carcinogenic [cancer causing] and toxic agents that have been identified in the mainstream smoke inhaled by the smoker, but at greater levels. As smoking from different sources is pollution and injurious to health, so we planned to carry out cigarette smoking survey of citizens of different localities of Mansehra. The study was carried out on 2100 subjects residing in different localities of Mansehra. A specifically designed questionaire was filled individually. Out of the study population 850 [40.48%] were found to be indulged in cigarette smoking. The study suggested that smokers should avoid smoking for the sake of their health

Frequency of bacterial vaginosis and its rapid diagnosis in married females of child bearing age

The aim of this study was to see frequency to establish early diagnosis comparing various laboratory methods for detection of vaginosis in married women of child hearing age with or without vaginal discharge. 150 randomly selected non-pregnant, pregnant females with vaginal and without discharge were included in the study. The study was conducted between March 2001 to October 2001 at Microbiology Department, Basic Medical Sciences institute, Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center, Karachi. Out of 150 high vaginal swabs, 100 females had complaints al discharge. 50% were just suffering from increased vaginal discharge, 28% Were due to bacterial vaginosis, 10% of candidiasis, 4% each of trichomoniasis and cervicitis and 3.3% were suffering from mixed infections. Amsel's Clinical criteria is accurate, sensitive and specific. Wet mount, Gram's staining are simple procedures for early diagnosis. It is concluded that Amsel's clinical criteria and Gram's staining are help-fill in rapid diagnosis in bacterial vaginosis. Conventional culture methods are not always reliable, are costly and lime consuming. It is advised that Amsel's criteria and Gram's staining should he adopted for diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis